JOB SUMMARY: In accordance with our mission and core values of reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence, this position is established to serve as a consultant/resource professional by providing expertise in all areas of infection prevention and control.
This expertise covers four primary domains: Leadership, Infection Prevention and Control, Technology, and Performance Improvement and Implementation Science.
The Senior Infection Preventionist supports the health system and fosters nursing excellence through the delivery of evidence based practice. The Senior Infection Preventionist also serves as a role model for professional behavior.
2. INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL:
• The Senior Infection Preventionist will apply surveillance definitions and methodologies to develop collection tools and gather relevant surveillance data. He/she will understand and select appropriate benchmarks for comparison and create a proactive approach to setting infection reduction targets and thresholds and will appropriately select, calculate, and explain rates and ratios.
• The Senior Infection Preventionist will lead the organization in the application and evaluation of basic institutional risk criteria for specific situations and use relevant data and methods to align the infection prevention plan with the results of the risk assessment.
• The Senior Infection Preventionist will be involved in reducing infection risk through consultative input into the physical design of patient care environments and establishing specifications for protective measures during construction and renovation. He/she will also play a key role in the evaluation of new procedures and clinical technologies for patient care, and monitor conformance with care processes that are correlated with decreased infection risk.
• The Senior Infection Preventionist must use and interpret the results of complex diagnostic testing methods including but not limited to polymerase chain reaction, probe-bases tests for nucleic acid sequencing, molecular typing, and interferon release assays for tuberculosis detection.
• The Senior Infection Preventionist will support Antimicrobial Stewardship programs by helping to provide surveillance for syndromes of interest, implementing interventions to guide the delivery of evidenced based practices, and translating data from antibiograms and antibiotic utilization along with infection rates for health care personnel, nursing units, and administrators.
• The Senior Infection Preventionist will be a resource for patients and staff in the area of education. • The Senior Infection Preventionist will critically evaluate research and apply the findings to the practice setting.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education: BSN required, MSN or MS preferred. Licensure/Certification:
Current unencumbered RN licensure to practice in the State of Arkansas.
Certification in infection control (CIC) required within 12 months of job start.
BLS certification required. Membership in professional organizations such as APIC preferred.
Experience: Minimum 3 years of infection prevention experience. Job Requirements We are looking for a responsible and compassionate Registered Nurse with top-notch clinical skills, a caring attitude, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision. It is also important to display excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills as well as the ability to effectively educate patients and their families on the in-home healthcare process. Additional requirements for this role include:
• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license that allows you to practice in our state
• Graduate of an accredited nursing program
• Basic Life Support (BLS) required • Specialty certification (ex: CCRN, CNOR, CEN) preferred • Additional certification or licensure may be required for some specialty areas